MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2022) Direct flights to Tanzania could quickly restore the demand from Russian tourists, who are highly interested in this destination, Ilya Umansky, the head of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a ceremony of presenting credentials to foreign ambassadors that Russia would continue working together with Tanzania and the Philippines in the field of tourism.
"Tours to Tanzania, in particular, to the island of Zanzibar, were very popular. Tour operators used to appoint charter flights there. Now, the main problem is air travel, flights are difficult and take a very long time. If this issue is resolved, then then demand could recover quite quickly. Today, there are Russian travelers who go toward this direction both on their own and through tour operators, with a connection, for example, in Dubai or Istanbul," Umansky told Sputnik.
Given that Russians are currently limited in the choice of foreign destinations due to Western sanctions, the country's travel industry is ready to work with any country seeking cooperation with Moscow in the field of tourism and air transportation, the official added.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. In response, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, with many of them closing their airspace to all Russian flights, which resulted in severe obstacles to air travel and interruptions in the operation of global airports.
Moreover, on September 6, the European Union adopted a proposal to fully suspend a visa facilitation agreement with Russia. The suspension entered into effect on September 12. The decision complicated visa application process for Russian citizens and imposed more restrictions for multiple entry visas.
